Supporting someone with personal care, to enabling them to make informed choices. Join us and help us change lives.

We have an exciting opportunity to join a team of staff in our Independent Living Services in Ponteland, working as a part time support worker.

About the role
As a Support Worker at Hft you’ll be supporting adults with learning disabilities to live the best life possible. In these roles, everything you do will enable people to have choices about their own lives, creating flexible services that meet people’s needs and always looking for the best way of doing things.

You will be involved in all aspects of daily living – supporting with personal care, promoting health and wellbeing and supporting the individuals to experience a range of recreational activities.

We provide 24/7 support to some people, so this role would suit you if you like the idea of working shifts and hours that include some weekends, nights and Bank Holidays. You may also get the opportunity to accompany the people we support on holidays and attend training courses and other activities.

If you are flexible in your approach with excellent communication and listening skills, we would like to hear from you!

About you
You don’t need experience of support work or any special qualifications for this job – you’ll get plenty of training along the way. It’s great if you already have experience of learning disabilities, autism or dementia, but this is by no means essential. What matters most is your positive attitude to life and your desire to support people to live their life with as much independence, choice, dignity and control as possible.

A full, current EU/UK driving licence and willingness to drive Hft vehicles, as and when required is an essential.

What we offer
We offer a range of benefits and career development opportunities. We’ll give you a comprehensive induction, full training and support along the way. With Investors in People and Skills for Care accreditation we are committed to investing in our teams to ensure they have the specialist skills and expertise needed to support others to live the best life possible.

If you do not hear from us within 4 weeks after the closing date your application has not been successful on this occasion.
Hft’s usual terms and conditions apply.
Hft is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. As a Disability Confident Employer, Hft is helping to ensure that disabled people have the same opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations that people without disabilities do.
Successful applicants will need to undertake an enhanced disclosure check against the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Having a criminal record may not bar you from employment.

Support Worker
Department: North East
Where you will be working: Ponteland
Reports to: Team Manager, Senior Support Worker
This job is important because:

You will enable the people we support to lead fulfilling lives based upon their personal support needs. You need to work to the standards set internally (by Hft) and externally (for example, by the Care Quality Commission), doing all you can to make sure that the people we support and your colleagues come to no harm and that the people we support are satisfied with the level of support they receive. You will achieve this by communicating with individuals and by following the underpinning principles of Person Centred Active Support (PCAS):

Making sure that you support people to be as involved as possible in every moment of their lives.

Offering people opportunities to be involved as often as possible, in the way that best suits them, e.g. as little or as much as they like.

Offering ‘just enough’ support to ensure people succeed.

Ensuring that people you support make as many choices as possible, so they remain in control.

As we provide 24/7 support you need to be able to work shifts, including weekends, some nights and Bank Holidays. You will also be required to accompany people we support on holidays and attend training courses and other activities.

Main Duties:

Support people with learning disabilities to the highest standard and in line with their support plan, cultural needs and wishes.

Support people with personal care if required, which may include toileting and bathing, in line with their support plan.

Support and encourage people to make choices and life decisions in line with the Mental Capacity Act requirements.

Assist and encourage people to engage in everyday home, social, leisure and work activities, according to the individual’s choice.

Support people with their health needs as required, e.g. taking medication and attending doctor’s appointments.

Keep accurate and up to date records.

Support people with their finances, where necessary, and in line with Hft guidelines

Promote health, safety and well-being of the people we support.

Work positively with colleagues, families and external organisations and professionals.

Look for opportunities to use Personalised Technology to increase people’s independence.

Maintain confidentiality at all times.

Improve the support provided by discussing any new ideas.

Participate in learning and development opportunities as required.

Undertake any other duties as appropriate.

Support Worker

These are the qualities and behaviours that Hft support staff must have.
The first four areas are standard across Hft, the final, person-centred, area is to suit the particular service, and the people it supports, for this particular vacancy.

Communication – we need people who

Like being around people.

Value input from others.

Are good listeners.

Are willing to try new approaches.

Are able to communicate using a range of methods.

Communicate openly with people.

Articulate views with passion and understanding.

Speak clearly using positive, simple, straight forward language.

Articulate how they feel.

Respect – we need people who

Value the views of others.

Are kind and thoughtful to others.

Have a positive outlook.

Are tolerant of people who have different views.

See the person first not the disability.

Respect others point of view.

Are well-mannered and polite to everyone they come into contact with.

Tackle issues with a positive frame of mind.

Work at a pace comfortable to the person they are supporting.

Cares About – we need people who

Have a desire to be part of the social care world.

Are enthusiastic about supporting people.

Are patient with people.

Behave in a person centred way.

Are interested in the people they support.

Creative Thinking – we need people who

Have a ‘can do’ attitude

Think imaginatively.

Communicate positively with people using a range of methods.

Are enthusiastic.

Use their initiative.

Present themselves confidently.

Freely express their views and asks questions.

Person Centred ‘must haves’ – we need people who

Are prepared to actively support people with complex needs in a range of activities which can sometimes be physically demanding such as Hydrotherapy and Rebound Therapy.

Are happy to support individuals with early mornings, late evenings and weekends on a regular basis to fit around the persons support needs. They will also be required to work over the christmas period and may be asked to support an individual on holiday.

Have a full driving licence and are prepared to drive a motability car but are also prepared to go out on foot and use public transport.

Are prepared to support individuals with a high level of personal care.